Very little is known or published regarding the irradiation of silicon compounds. It is, however, known that siloxanes can be derived by chemical reactions. Typically ##STR2## The latter siloxane is known as hexachlorodisiloxane, a liquid at room temperature. However, the properties of siloxanes and silicon monoxide are little known and limited sources of supply exist. Also the dichlorosiloxane tetramer (SiOCl.sub.2).sub.4 is known to be a solid at room temperature obtainable by the reaction ##STR3## thereby providing hydrogen.
Reduction of hydrogen by decomposing water has been disclosed in a number of issued patents by use of irradiation from fusion, fission and other radiation sources. In these techniques the irradiation was in the most part of gaseous materials. It is, however, disadvantageous to construct irradiation systems of the size necessary to irradiate gaseous materials.
Thus, the employment of liquid or solid compounds is highly advantageous in an irradiation system used to derive hydrogen from water. Yet very little is known about the reactions of many such materials under irradiation and in reactions useful for derivation of hydrogen. Specifically, little is known of the characteristics of siloxane liquids and solids in the presence of irradiation.
It is also a limitation in the production of SiO, which is a desirable feed material in a hydrogen synthesis reaction, that literature describes SiO as existing only as temperatures in excess of about 1200.degree. C. No previous method is known to synthesize SiO by low temperature reactions, which would be highly desirable.
In accordance with this invention therefore it is one objective to use silicon compounds in the synthesis of hydrogen.
It is another objective of the invention to derive a source of SiO as a desirable ingredient of processes for synthesis of hydrogen.
It is still another objective of the invention to explore the characteristics of the siloxanes, particularly in connection with cycles that can synthesize hydrogen or produce ingredients therefor such as SiO.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be found throughout the following description and claims.